U-T Editorial: A model of civility

Obama's invitation to Warren a gesture of tolerance, reconciliation

Gay activists are furious that Obama would invite the pastor of Saddleback Church, who is also a best-selling author and vocal opponent of gay marriage, to give the invocation. And evangelical Christians who oppose many of the president-elect's liberal policies are just as upset that Warren would even consider accepting the invitation.

It seems no one is happy, except perhaps the two people most directly involved – Obama and Warren, and probably the mass of people in the political center. The pastor recently released a video trying to put the controversy in context. Saying that the United States is “being destroyed by the demonization of differences,” Warren added that “the real story is that a couple of different American leaders have chosen to model civility for the rest of the nation.”

That is a good story. Obama and Warren have both reacted to this ruckus with much more grace and class than have some of the activists on either side of the issue.

We happen to support gay marriage, but we would never argue that the pastor's views should be censored just because some people disagree with him. In fact, we applaud what the president-elect seems to be trying to accomplish in reaching across the political spectrum in a symbolic gesture of tolerance and reconciliation.

Of course, gays and lesbians also have free-speech rights, and they can register their displeasure over Warren's involvement. But overheated rhetoric comparing Warren to white supremacist David Duke is way over the line and only hurts their cause.

Besides, it's loony that Obama's supporters in the gay and lesbian community would think that he has the judgment to lead the country and yet lacks the judgment to choose who should speak at his inauguration. Yet that seems to be the view of openly gay Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass. Calling the right to deliver the invocation a “high honor,” Frank told CNN that “giving that kind of mark of approval and honor to someone who has frankly spoken in ways that I and many others have found personally very offensive ... was a mistake.”

The real mistake would be for Obama to give in to pressure from activists on the left and rescind the invitation to Warren. That probably won't happen. Obama seems determined to stand his ground and defend the principle. We hope he does. This is a character test and, so far, the president-elect is scoring high.